My CF body...

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anonymous

New member
Hi guys..I'm a 16 year old girl with CF in Virginia. I've been wondering..I know it's normal to have "barrel lungs" (which i hate with a passion), but how many people have big stomachs? I heard from my mom that it was normal. I mean, aren't a lot of us born with BIG stomachs and little arms and legs? That's how I am. My arms and legs are normal/small, but my stomach and lungs and bigger. Also, does anyone know WHY my/our stomachs are bigger? I mean, it's not fat, I can't grab much more than skin...it's hard, like I'm pregnant or something haha! Please, if you have the same problem or something close, let me know. I want to know that I'm not the only one here haha thanks!
(This might seem superficial, but looks are a lot these days, and I hate feeling not normal and I hate how CF has made me look..so if I'm going to bo, I at least want to know why I can't change this)

If you feel like it, here's my <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=3988995&Mytoken=20041211212942">myspace</a>

Thanks
Allyson
 
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spicyone18

New member
I totally feel the same way about my stomach its sooo annoying. There are so many times when i was in school people would ask me if i were pergnant! I dont know how to change this or why its like this but at least you know now that you are not alone.
 
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Emily65Roses

New member
I often also look rather fat, to say the least... But at the same time I can't grab more on my stomach than a tiny bit of skin. Don't know what to tell you, except that again, you're not alone. <img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">
 
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anonymous

New member
It is called a barrel stomach (commen in Cf patients) and I believe it is caused by gas, and everything else that goes on with CF patients and their digestive system. Do you go to a CF clinic every three months? If so, next time you go, talk to your dietician about it...maybe you need more enzymes.

Hope this helps...and hope you have a very Happy New Year!!!!!
 
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anonymous

New member
Thank you all soooo much! I feel a lot better than I ever have about how I look. I've always just though "How come knowing my life is being shortened isn't enough? Why do I have to look different and feel self conscious, too?" I know, there are a lot of people who go through the same and worse situations, but I just don't know any of them. Anyways, now I feel like I'm part of a club or something haha! Sounds funny, but true all the same. I have an appointment set up for next week or so I think? I was just there, but I'm kinda sick, so I think thats the plan..I'm going to ask about it then! I always forget once I get there.

Does anyone have a myspace? I love those, and you get to see pics of people! Well incase you guys do, here's the address to mine>> <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=3988995&Mytoken=20041211212942">Myspace</a>

Well again, thank you guys sooo much (= You made my night haha

Allyson~16~VA~CF/CFRD
 
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anonymous

New member
Sorry, I'm obsessed with myspace.com haha! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif" border="0">
 
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purpleangel28282

New member
You know I had wondered the same thing about my stomach, I'd just never gotten the courage to come and ask about it. I'm relieved to know that I'm not the only one with it either.
 
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EmilysMini

New member
now i have no advice for this, nor can i say i can relate. but ill say this, i have yet to meet someone with cf i havent found attractive in some way. i realize its hard not to feel subcosious about it, but hopefully this was helpfull in some way.
 
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Emily65Roses

New member
LOL!! Well Mini is right, we're all attrative in our own ways... but when he says he hasn't met anyone with CF he didn't find attractive... there's only one CFer he's met, and it's me. So he's being a biased nerd. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif" border="0">
 
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EmilysMini

New member
HAH. shows how much you know. i have.....even if only pictures. Yah i went through all the trouble of signing up for a myspace just so i could prove you wrong. i can safely say, that both cf people i have ever seen are quite hot. and im ganna go farther and say that they are damn more attractive than the girls i see. and no, im not biased. being biased would imply that i have a tainted veiw of it. and my veiw isnt tainted at all. Also if it was all out of biasedness than i would have avioded posting at all.
 
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anonymous

New member
My boyfriend has CF, he's short and does have a bigger stomach, especially after meals, but I find him just as attractive and I love him all the same, I know he's self-conscious about it (he's always joking about being fat but I can tell he's worried it might bother me). At the risk of souding cliche I came to realize that it really is the inside that counts, I mean I find my boyfiend really attractive physically but I also realized how the outside is made attractive by the inside (personality and all that). In the past eight months I almost lost him twice (once because of a car accident and just last week because of a sinus surgery gone wrong) and I know he's scared the hospital is going to scare me away but you know what, it is scary I can't deny that but I'm not scared for myself, just for him and I worry that something is going to go wrong and all the things you should worry about when someone you love is sick and not the 'oh my God and can I, poor little me handel this?'. Going back to the physical appearance concern, I guess that everyone at one point or another feels concerned about it , like I have three big scars on my stomach from past surgeries and I was really afraid my boyfriend would be disgusted by that, as you can imagine I was worried for nothing and I knew I was but i just couldn't help it, juts like he was worried one day I would just get up and leave because I found his stomach unatractive.

I realize this might not be very clear but well, I think I made my point all the same!

Amelie
 
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anonymous

New member
I am a 17 year old female with cf and i also have the problem with the "barrel chest/ lungs" I hate it because I am at the age when I wanna wear nice cute clothes and I am so self concious about it. People look at me and ask me if I am pregnant all the time. It really agravates me.
 
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Beowulf

New member
I use to have a distended stomach. It went away once I became religious about taking my enzymes. My parents died when I was younger and I became responsible for taking my enzymes. There was a point where I didn't take enzymes for 2 years, with the occasional exception. I didn't know any better. I kept forgetting to take my enzymes and became use to the discomfort of it all. What changed it all was I began to realize that I was exceptionally thin (5'3" and 87lbs.) and ultimately developed gallstones, requiring 3 surgeries in 2months. It was a horrible time. It took about 3 months for me to dedicate myself to NEVER miss taking my enzymes and eating properly. Even now, years later, I forget my meds once a month, and i only eat cruddy (pizza, cocacola, chips, etc.) once every 4-6 months.
 
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shamrock

New member
I think he means, taking them all the time when he should. Its like i watch survivor religiously. I wouldnt miss an episode!
 
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